Potato hiller or ridger



June 4, 19u29 w. H. ovERHoLr ET AL 1,715,616

oTATo HILLER 0R RIDGER Original -Filed Nov. 20, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet June 4, 1929- w. H. ovr-:RHoL-r ETAL i 1.715.616

POTATO HILLER OR RIDGER Original Filed Nov. 20, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' WH verimli and El? v/erlwl 1y ffm".

www fom Jullie 4, 1929. w. H. ovERHoLT ET AL 1,715.616

PoTATo HILLER o3 RIDGER Original Filed Nov.-20, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 (g1/ww tou 0 ver/ La Patented Y.lune '4,'.1'9729@l i 4".

- '-UNITEDSTATES fv'I'L-LIAY1rIA II. OVERIIOLT,` or VBLUIIIIIIJLD, wnsTjyIRGIN/IA," AND ,EDWIN E. OVER- IIOLT,Y OI" WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA;` SAID WILLIAM I-I. OVDRIIOLT'AS- gsIGNoR ATosAID EDWIN E. OVERHOLT, or WASHINGTON, DIsTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

PO'TATO BILDER ORDIDYGER..

Applieatioii"ineaV November 2o', 1919, seriaivnobssaus. Rqehewea'Augusfis, leas.

Our invention relates to soil ridgers. v

The Objectis toprovide device ofthis Character, employing any desired form-of power,- as for' instance horse or motor power,

for ridging up the rows of growing potatoes,

cotton, and other crops requiring ridges; thereby avoidingythe slow and laborious process-of doingthe work by hand; "also Y any"amount of labor whatsoever.i

Still another object is to provide a device of this character, which, whiler doing Vthe work with great rapidity, will at the same.V time crush the clods 'leaving the soi-l nicely pulverized, and will also, lin additionjto this, 'provide the surface ofthe ridgeswith a layer or `blanket* of loose soil constituting a granular mulchiwhich checks evaporation and retains in the, soil the Y moisture which' liberates plant food. A l

'Further objectswillappear in the subjoined description.

' A leadingA feature of the invention rconsists of a lower member which parts the soil midway between the rows and forces it'out4` and cooperating therewith to give Ato thel ridges their ultimate shape. Y

The inventiony consists in Vcertain novel features of construction'and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described Vwith the handles `and bitching/bail omitted. l

i Fig.v 3 is a side'elevation of Fig. Vv'1 with said parts omitted. f

Fig. lis aperspective view showing a,

two-piece 'bottom lportion' for the "device,

with additional pieces for adjusting the width of saidV bottom portioi1,;the separate parts being shown spaced from .eachother ready tobe--assernbled` n Fig. l5A is av topplan view of's'aid bottom portion" with Ythef'adjusting pieces omitted and/:the two pieces-secured together, and

lready to be secured to the upperportion.

' F ig. 6 is a lperspectivejview of the middle one of. said adjusting pieces. f

" "Fig. "(isfa rear elevation of our device as itA appears at work in the field, the ground being shownuin section tojdisclosethe .surface mulch formed' byA the machine l A.F ig. 8 is aperspective view .showing the body portion single piece..v

.65 of the device ivformedf; in y"a i .Fig 9 isabottom'uferspeetiveof 8y `with the handles andhitching'bailoinittedg and,

ment yfor testing the effect of adust mulch. ,i

The Vupper or top portion of our deviceY comprises the'horzontal section l, andithe lupturned side and ,frontw sections 1K2 and* 3 respectively, the frontsectionV 3 being; the

under section of the device and is provided with the transverse Vadjusting slots 4, for the re'ceptionof,A the boltsg which connect theupper and lower portions of lthe device together.

The lower portioniiszformed,preferably,

of two similar pieces G hollowed out or recessed, and each having a taperedrfr'ont end 7 and an upturned flange 8 at its long,

est side, and a.A front and rear yboss9l`a'nd 10j respectively, said bosses having :central threaded bores lliorA the reception of the j' highestand lthe; 'side f sections 'gradually tapering'`'rearwardlyv therefrom till they Vmerge into the section l at' its rear end. rlhe horizontal section l projects'out overthef screws or 'bolts 5.' The flanges vBare prof l vided with elon ated openings 12 into which are receive `thebOlts':13 forrigidly securingtogether thetwo parts Storming the lower portion ofthe device, as shownin Fig. 5. e

' The horizontally ke,irt'ending part of the upper portion of thel devicerisfnarrowest at yits forward end Vand gradually broadens as it'extends rearwardly, and has its front and `F ig. 10 is af view v illustrating an experi-v side margins inclined upwardly, the 'front 'v incline being broadest andthe side inclines the degree oftaper of the sideinclines being gradually diminishing in width as they eir-y "tend rearwardly, thewidthand degree of inclination of' fsaid respective; inclines, l and adapted to compensate for the gradual taper y foasaid horiiontal fportionfsufiiciently to render-saidupper projecting portion of the.'

device,as=a whole, efeven width throughout its length, when'seen in planfview.`

VSometimes, it is desirabletomiake the ridges more than the ordinarywidthapart, in`

which case "it'may lv'also bev found desirable to` make the lower portion of .ourv `device wider, fand 'this is done by .means shown specially in Figs 2,. 4, andV in which vthe, two pieces 6.011 the under side of :the

device, have interposed between thema centralspacing bar liand twoA auxiliary spacingY bars e-oneV at each Iside of said central bar 1 4, .These .spacing vbars are all provided'wi'th elongated .openings .16 adapt; ed to register with each4 other and vwith vthe elongated openingsl'2 of the .parts 6@ When it is desired to make. the lower portion Vvof the device only slightlyfwider than its nor-V malfwidth, the central spacing'bar .14 alone is used, while for wider .adjustments'- the auxiliary 'bars F15 lare' employed. While .onlyfthree of these'spacing bars are shown it is' understood t'hatmore may be usedif necessary; and VYthat'fthey may be made of any desired thickness; The. centralbar llis provided with lasharpened 'front end 14a to V(misethe device to cut its way'more .easily through the soil. The openings in the specing bars andftheflanges 8 of the Aparts are elongated to permit longitudinal adjustment. ofthe kbars'yaocording: to the number V andthickness voftheV bars' used,V it being underl stood that l'the auxiliary vbars ,are toibeso adjusted as lto cause their 'front ends tolform a' continuous surface `with the inclined i'aces 'Tof thejp'arts 6, as shown in Fig. 2.

The central spacing bar lliv isrproviided nea'rfits forward endl'onrits vunder side 4with a transverse recess 17 for the reception of l a plow yor share 18which may be used with the device when desired. .A

In. making'funusually high ridges, it 'should ever be Vfound desirable 'to slightly `'increase the vertical thickness of, thefunder side 'of our'device, the same maybe conveniently donefbyV inserting the spacing slab 19 vbetween'then upper Land lower `parts Vas r illustrated in Figs.A 2 and 3. This slab is generally iof the .same general 'contour as the upper margin of Vthe under portion of our device vand ispreferably'bevel'ed around its l outer edge o r margin, as indicated at 19a in Figs. 2 and 3,'to cause it to merge, as it were, into jthe under 'face of the upper projecting portion ofthe device, This slab 1'9 may be "made of anyde'sired thickness, and

wanted, he can stand vonv vthe .standing forward of the'centf-rewill cause the vnose of the machine to dig still more deeply.

more than kone slab inay be'used if desired.' The spacing bars may be made of wood, if preferred,'especially the auxiliarybars 15.

The upperportion 'of .the .device is provided witha hitching `bail' 20 inealr its forward end, and. near its rear end has handles p v2l suitablysecured -to the device and connect'eel together by'therungs 22 and vfred 23;

' In Figs. 8 and `9 we ha-ve showira slight- ,Y

lymodified form'.of'ourjdevice-n which the upper and lower .portions are vboth formed 'in a Asingle'piece, and the lower portion terminates at its. forward,end A in a A.thin nose lpiece 24 ycoming to an; edge at its forward end, to enable the devicetoeasily cut its way lthrough the soil.` However, the .deviceworks thoroughly well if the A lower portion simply comestoa .tape-red point, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

vln'both. formsv of-thedevice thelower portion is provided' at the rear end with drainage means consisting of openings 25', to permit theescape of waterwhen the de# vice is rained upon; yHowever,'.therear end oi' the under-,portion ofthe .devicel may `:be

left open if desired, especially .in the `form ci the devicejshown in Figs.' .8 and.-9..

The` operation .ofour device is very simple and needonly be vdescribed as usedv for. ridging upgrow-ing crops, 'the potato or l other cropgwithY which :is tofbe used, is usually lirs'tplowed in the ordinary V:way

with a shovel plow,and then` our ldevice is drawn midway betweenlthe' rows, .as indicated in F ig. 7, tothrow u the soil into ridges. The operator can ollow the deif'i'ce' asI he woulda plow, wheny only shallow ridges are desired,'but when dee ridges are on the machine vas the case may require. lThe lower portion ofthe device noses fits .way

ioo

evice; and

lfl 0 through the loosesoil: and easily orcesit to 1 right and left forming the lower part of the ridges, while the upper V part ofthe device limits the upwardfmovernent of the soil at the `front and sides o the lower .pa-rt, and cooperates with the lower y'parte to further spread the soilfoutwardly and 'toi give ultimate shape and conformation tothe ridges.

From they foregoing it is at once apparent that -our device is a great time saver, because ofthe rapidity with which it does its work.

However, valuable as the time saving ifeature of our device is, attentioniis called to another feature of great importance and significance, namely It isV .well known to scientific farmers that a good mulch 'formed on top of the ground lin a cultivated field is the bestknown means offpreventing theescape ofmoisture and also of nitratesfrom the soil. I Nowyourfdevice does that to and forcing the same upwardly and outa wardly in v'contact withfthe sides and projecting top of the device,v it pulverizes the soil and forms on its topa most excellent granular mulch, and leaves the ridges in a smooth and even condition and slightly compressed like awheat field after adraghas been run over it,I so that theynotonly conserve the moistureand nitratesvin the soil,-

knows what it means to a newly sown wheat field tobe dragged, .and itis quite as advantageousto a potatoiield as tota wheat field,

f top-of thersoil forthe conservation oflinoissince potatoes are morel responsive to a proper amount of Vmoisture than wheat. Y The great valueof .a granular mulch on ture may be most, easily demonstrated by taking a lump of 'hard clay or a cube of loaf sugar `as. indicated at 26 in Fig. l0 of the drawings, and placing the same in a pan27 and covering it deeply with almass of dust or powdered sugar 28, and then 'pouring water into the pan 27 the water will quickly rise through the.` lump or cube` 26 till the I finely powdered mass QSofwdust or sugar at its top is reached, but there it will stop,

rial will hold down the moisture.

Now, in View of the' fact here proved, it

f; becomes vapparent` that with Vour device a crop of potatoes may be. raised in soilwhere itis too dry for'the growing ofpotatoesto advantage when the soil is ridgedup `by h andin the ordinary way,I and also in some localities wherepthe moisture is so scant that level cultivation with its disadvantagesv has heretofore been considered compulsory as a means of conservationof moisture. .i

While our device is ordinarily intended to followa-plow or cultiva-tor, it will yet work er fection. In nosing its way through thejsoil f showing-that the mass of powdered mate-A lWherefnolplow isyused. -This isespecially 'i the case when we'employ thefplow for Vcutterl j 18 shown in Figs. .2,` 3, and 6,iwhich; cuts Y through the soil entirelyseparatingfthe-Aup- 4per stratum from the lowerso that thelformer canjbe easily thrown, out sideways into ridges' i The Pl-OW may be .madefshortery or l longer according tol vthe--widthof the rows After the potatoesvhave been laidv by,and a plow can nolonger be Vused, this device can be run between the yrows tofcrus'h down and destroy weeds to. prevent vthernfmm seeding.

Y When it is desired to increasethe capacity of Vrthe device for breaking clodsv as the Vgroundis thrown up into ridges, the 4position of the lowerportion 6, on the horizon tal plate l of the upper portion, isvreversed; That isto say; theV flat end-of the .lowerpon tion-6, which end normally faces-rearwardly, j,

is now caused to face forwardly, and isjsecured to the plate 1 bythegusual bolts 5 with the threadedopenings of the bosses 10` in registration with the, transverse slots 4l at the forward end vot t-hefplatel,| and with ,the

threaded openings of the bosses 9 in registration with the v`slots vi-at vtherear end of said f plate.

For working ground i that H is cloddy, the forwardend of the lower portion 6y which is usually tapered to a point as shown, may be made flat, just as is the rear end.. .1 Y

Having'now set forthfthe principles of our invention, and shown means `for practically embodying .the same, we yet dof not limit. ourselvesto the exact showing made,

' but claim protection. on allthat comes with-V in the spirit andl scope of, our invention.

What we claim ist.

l; A ridge-forming and ycultivating implementhaving an upper memberfor resting on the ground; andlower cooperating memberfor runningthrough the soil underneathfsaid upper *member v and extendingv downwardlyv therefrom fora material dis-v tance, `and normally increasing 4in width fromits lower part to its upper part; said lower vmemberhaving means for forcing the mal levelof the ground i y I A 2.` A ridgeforming and cultivating'implement having an upper portionfor resting on thesoil; anda lower cooperatingportion for running through lthe soil underneath;

said upper-portion `and extending down.-`

wardly therefromga material distance and of v a width materially greater, than its depth and normally decreasing in width from its top toitsbottom; said upper portion projecting horizontally' beyond the lower por# tion, the lower -portion being constructed i' at, its forward endtogfopengup and loosen thev soiland rearwardly from vvsaid forward 115l soil'outwardly and upwardly above the norf end having a follow-up portion vforprogres'- sivelylling saidopeningas it is made in lthe soilvbyfthevforward end, whereby to force ith'e displaced soil'outwardly and `up'- wardly as thegimplement .advances through' the soil, ysaid "follow-'up portion Abeing ma# I' y terially-elongatedandhaving its sides parallel with each otherand with thehcoo'peratythereon. A f

3. A ridge-forming and cultivating? `imfl ,ing face of. the adjacent upper portion,

whereby; as the machine advances`,l to bring said yparts into prolonged-abrasive contact with thel surface ofthe soil to' form 'a mulch plement, comp-rising a plate for running above the ground; and aooopera-tmg mem- `ber underneath fsa-id Vplate:extending down-v wardly a material distance therefrom, and

`being of a width materially greater than its' depth'- and.v 'normally decreasing'in width from its vtop/tov its bottom, and constructed Y at its forward end Iforforciiflgfthe' soil outwardly Vand upwardly, said plate being turned upwardly at its forward end.'-

4. A ridgeformi-ng andcultivating'implement having an lupper portion'f'or resting on the ground; and a lower cooperating portion for lrun-ning through thesoil @underneath rsaid upper portion and extending downwardly therefrom pa material distance, said V.upper portion projecting horizontally beyondifsaid lower portion, Isaid lower por'- tion being provided at its forward 4end with means for forcing. the soil outwardly "and upwardly above the normal'V level r4of the ground, the'upper projecting Fport-ion` being l constructed to engage the top portion of the u-pheaved soil to further spread said portion laterally outward, the devicerearwardly of its forward end beingmaterially elongated andvof uniform crosssectional formation to thereby form a looseniulch.

5. vA` ridge-forming and cultivating 1mp'lement, comprising avplatc for resting on the soil in face 4to face engagement there with g, a cooperating member underneath said plate andfextending downwardl-y'a material distance therefrom, said plate roject-` ying laterallybeyond said under mem er and having its side margins turnedupwardly and outwardly, said upturned` Vmar,gins 4increasing inv width from 'the rear 'end of 'the `plate forwardly, the Awidth of Vsaid jun-der member being approximately equal Ito that Vof the forward 4end of theflat plate between',

itsupturned sider margins, `and constructed Y ce . at 'its forward end for upheaving the soil.

' 6. A A'ridge-formingr and L cultivating im'- plement, comprising an upper Iportion for,

running' on 'top of the ground; .and a lower portion underneath the upper portion and extending downwardly a material distance Y' therefrom, and constructed lat fits forward Ves end to force the ,soil outwardly and -upwardly,said lowerVr portion being' formed in VVZonta'llybeyond the lower porti-on.'V f 1 sections; and -meansforoperatively securing Y said sec-tionalY iowerl portionfto the vupper port-ion, the '.upfper @portion extending hQi- 7.A ,ridge-forming* 'and cultiyatingj-'i-m* plement comprising an upper; portion forl running-ontopof theground; and a lower portion underneath the upper portion-"and kextending downwardly amaterial distance therefrom, constructed at'-itsI forward 'end `to` 'force the soil' outwardly'eandvup# wa-rdly, 'said lower portion zbeing formed in sections; -a spacing bar between said sections with #its forwardl end extending y-in-aclvance thereof and provided with -a vertical cutting edge, said upper portion projecting horizontally' lbeyondY said `lower portion; and

meansffor securing said parts'fin operative yre'latlonto.each other.` v i `tive` inclines being arranged to render said plate as a whole, of -even width rthroughout its lengthwhen seen in plan view, the width proximately equal to that of the'forwa-rd end of the yflat portion of lthe plate.y

Y 9. A ridge-formingand cultivating 'imple- 105 Y ment, comprising an fupper portionr forrestlng onthe soil; -and ia reversible flower portion Vdetachably secured tothe underside of 'said upper portion and "extending downof the lower cooperating member being'apwardly Va materialdistance' there-from,-the

rupper portion projecting lateral-ly beyond the lower portionfsa'id reversible portion y having parallel sides and being constructed at either fendl for upheaving the soil; and

means for securing the reversible portion to the top portion with either lend forward.

10.'V A ridge-forming Vandl Acultivating Aim? -plement comprising an upper 1portion r :for

resting on the'A soil; and Yafreversi'ble lower portion gdetachably secured tothe under side of saidupper portion and extending down'- wardly a' material distancetherefrom, the upper portion projecting laterally beyond the lower portion,l said reversible portion having parallel Vsides and yapproximately vertical ends, said ends being convergent at one end of the memberand flaitat jthe other;

and means for securingthe reversible por-V tion to the top portion with either end forward.

plement having an under portion Afor running through thesoil and an upper portion Vfor running' above gro-und, the under portion extending downwardly aV materialv distance from the upper portion and being'o a width materially greater than .its depth,

and constructed at its forward end lfor foro, Ving the soilupwardly and outwardly; and

means for Varying the width of said under member. Y

l2. A ridge-forming and Cultivating imy plement having an under 'portion for running through the soil; and anl upper portion for runningrabove ground, the underl 'portion extending downwardly" a` material dis-k under member.

natures.

. EDWIN E. oyIIRIIoLI.`

'In testimony whereofwe 'ailx 'our sig- WILLIAM IIQoVfERIIoLT. 

